St. Paul, Minn. (Dec. 21, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement in response to an appeal filed today by the Minnesota Department of Commerce challenging the approval of the Certificate of Need for Enbridge’s Line 3 Replacement Project:
“Jobs for Minnesotans stands behind the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s (MPUC) approval of the Line 3 Replacement Project Certificate of Need and is not surprised by the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s (MDOC) appeal. The MPUC, appointed by Governor Dayton, has been the lead agency diligently evaluating the project details throughout the rigorous four-year public input and environmental review process. The MPUC has consistently ruled against the MDOC in several critical matters associated with this project. The MPUC just reaffirmed its unanimous decision on the project’s Certificate of Need as recently as November. Ultimately, time after time, the Line 3 Replacement Project has been deemed necessary by the MPUC in the best interest of the public and the state of Minnesota.
“The project is a critical $2.6 billion dollar investment in Minnesota’s energy infrastructure, replacing an aging pipeline on which the state relies. The project will provide quality jobs to more than 6,500 Minnesota workers during the course of the project, including 2,100 family-sustaining construction jobs. The communities along the route stand to benefit immensely from the approval of this project and it is imperative to the economic welfare of the state that it be allowed to move forward.”s
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition representing business, labor and communities, supports statewide opportunities for prosperity and middle-class jobs from sustainable natural resource development in Minnesota. The organization is committed to the principle that our state can preserve both job opportunities and the environment for future generations. Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. For more information, visit jobsforminnesotans.org, follow @JobsforMN on Twitter and find the coalition on Facebook.com/Jobs4MN.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
St. Paul, Minn. (Dec. 20, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans today released the following statement following the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) announcement of a public comment period regarding the Environmental Assessment on the renewal of Twin Metals mineral leases:
“Jobs for Minnesotans welcomes today’s BLM news announcing a comment period seeking public input on the environmental assessment of the renewal of Twin Metals mineral leases. This is a positive next step for Twin Metals after a rigorous and extensive review and public input process over the last two years on its mineral lease renewals. The renewal of the leases is just one of many important milestones that Twin Metals will work to achieve before entering the robust environmental review process required prior to any mining activity.
“We strongly support each step of the highly regulated process for mining projects to come to fruition including the timely renewal of Twin Metals leases following this process. This proceeding sets a strong precedent for future non-ferrous mining projects on how the federal government works with mining companies not just in Minnesota, but across the country. We are eager to see this process move forward for Twin Metals, as the leases are located within the world-class Duluth Complex mineral deposit in Northeastern Minnesota. The Duluth Complex is estimated to contain 4.4 billion tons of copper, nickel and other essential metals needed to support our country’s current and future infrastructure as well our nation’s efforts to move toward a cleaner energy economy. ”
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition representing business, labor and communities, supports statewide opportunities for prosperity and middle-class jobs from sustainable natural resource development in Minnesota. The organization is committed to the principle that our state can preserve both job opportunities and the environment for future generations. Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. For more information, visit jobsforminnesotans.org, follow @JobsforMN on Twitter and find the coalition on Facebook.com/Jobs4MN.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Feds Propose Renewing Twin Metals Lease
Duluth News Tribune
Jimmy Lovrien
The Bureau of Land Management proposed renewing hardrock mineral leases in the Rainy River Watershed near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on Thursday, initiating a 30-day comment period.
The BLM’s proposal includes new stipulations on the leases in its “proposed action” while the “no-action alternative” would renew the leases under the same conditions as the leases’ last renewal in 2004.
Proposed changes were outlined in an updated environmental assessment released Thursday. Comments on the assessment will be accepted through Jan. 22.
Jobs for Minnesotans Statement on Release of Final State PolyMet Permits
St. Paul, Minn. (Dec. 20, 2018) – Jobs for Minnesotans released the below statement today following the announcement that final major permits for PolyMet Mining were issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), bringing the NorthMet Project a big step closer to reality:
“Today, Jobs for Minnesotans celebrates the opportunities this final approval from the MPCA brings to Northeast Minnesota: hundreds of well-paying jobs and critical investment to sustain local communities. The issuance of these air and water permits is validation that the state’s very public, thorough and scientific process of evaluation, analysis and decision-making works.
“These permits will re-energize the region’s supplier and professional service network, assure long-term employment for skilled tradespeople, generate a more diverse and thriving regional and statewide economy, as well as create access to essential metals to power the green economy and our modern world.
“We applaud the hard work of the regulatory agencies involved in this process and express our deep gratitude to the citizens, businesses, labor organizations, elected officials and communities who have been resilient in their efforts to propel the project forward.”
About Jobs for Minnesotans
Jobs for Minnesotans, a coalition representing business, labor and communities, supports statewide opportunities for prosperity and middle-class jobs from sustainable natural resource development in Minnesota. The organization is committed to the principle that our state can preserve both job opportunities and the environment for future generations. Jobs for Minnesotans was co-founded in 2012 by the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council representing 55,000 workers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce representing 2,300 companies and 500,000 employees. For more information, visit jobsforminnesotans.org, follow @JobsforMN on Twitter and find the coalition on Facebook.com/Jobs4MN.
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Media Contact: Nancy Norr, Chair
nnorr@mnpower.com
Cell: 218.590.6978
Minnesota Oks Final Major State Permits for PolyMet Mine
Associated Press
Steve Karnowski
State pollution regulators on Thursday issued the last major state permits sought by the developers of the planned PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota, leaving only one major federal permit still pending.
PolyMet would be the state’s first copper-nickel mine. Thursday’s announcement follows a decision by the Department of Natural Resources last month to grant PolyMet several major permits, including the key one — a permit to mine.
Read More: https://www.apnews.com/094c28c9e8ad4a9aad6127ba2d886856